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GRAND PRIX RESULTS: BRAZILIAN GP, 1998

The F1 teams spent an unpleasant weekend trading blows over the legality of different electronic systems. Ferrari claimed that McLaren, Williams and Jordan were running a brake-steer system which they felt was illegal, despite the fact that the FIA Technical Department had ruled that this was acceptable. The FIA stewards finally decided that the FIA Technical Department was wrong and declared that McLaren's brake-steer system was illegal.

The brake-steer system enabled the drivers to negociate corners with only one tire being braked rather than both, thus enabling them to get round the corners much faster.

Ferrari's discomfort was added to in the race as the McLarens took off into the lead once again and quickly established themselves at the front of the field with a five second advantage by the end of the third lap. Hakkinen then pulled away from David Coulthard, who had little reason to chase, knowing that Hakkinen was now the team's designated winner.

Michael Schumacher had made a bad start and had to thread his way up to fourth place by lap 10 - aided by Irvine who moved out of his way. He then began to attack Frentzen's Williams. Both drivers were on two-stop strategies and, when they stopped, Schumacher managed to get ahead despite stalling in the pits. Intelligence and speedy work by the Ferrari mechanics meant that he lost almost nothing although Wurz, on a one-stop strategy, was ahead of Michael on the road.

The only runners apart from Wurz on one-stop strategies were the two McLarens and they won as they pleased - despite drops of rain in the closing laps of the race. Coulthard showed that he could keep up with Hakkinen by closing right up to his team-mate in the closing laps and crossed the line a second behind the Finn. When Wurz finally came into the pits he lost third to Schumacher and the German was able to lap fast enough to guarantee himself the position, despite having to stop again. He finished a minute behind the McLarens and seven seconds ahead of Wurz. Frentzen and Fisichella completed the top six.